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Joe Hisaishi recently announced its schedule for its 2009 tour in Japan!! OMG!!! I so want to go!! hahaha I can’t read Japanese so I’m just using an online translator. Forgive me if there are mistakes! He will be doing two different programs:
- Program A – 1st Symphony, Departures, Kiki’s Delivery Service and others
- Program B – The End of the World, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and others
I would LOVE to see both performances! I’m sure it would be amazing…hmm…*thinking* Who’s interested?? =)
Btw, if you want to have a taste of its music then try here – quite a few of his recent albums!! My recent favourite? Departures’ OST (also known as Okuribito)!!
Surely by now you have probably heard of some amazing Japanese movie that swept up this year’s Best Foreign Film of the Year at the Academy Awards. You haven’t?! NO WORRIES! That’s what I’m here for! LOL
The movie is called Okuribito おくりびと, or more commonly known as Departures in the Western markets. I just watched it this week and decided it was DEFINITELY worth a post! Breathtaking would be an appropriate word. It’s also completely fresh. At first I was a little worried that it might be a bit slow and boring at parts (I find that jmovies are sometimes a hit or miss OR you need to be fully charged prior to watching it) but it wasn’t at all!! The story is a little odd but don’t be scared by it. Give it a go. It’s DEFINITELY worth checking out!!!
Japanese official website + Japanese trailer
The English version of the trailer is available here but I think the Japanese one presents a much more accurate picture of the movie.
Story
Daigo (Motoki Masahiro) is a professional cellist in a small orchestra but just as he thought life was going well, he is told the group is disbanded. Along with his wife, he returns to his hometown in Yamagata and starts looking for a job. He makes way to NK Agent, a travel agency he guesses, as the ad had described itself as dealing with ‘departures’. No experience required. Good pay and short hours? Yep – sounds good.
So I’ve said on multiple occasions how much I’m into soundtracks/OSTs…well here is some proof!! Look at my top 25 most played!! LOL! hehehe I’m proud to say that my number 1 is Prisoner of Love!! YAY!
How did I get into this whole soundtrack interest? I think at the start, I was really moved by Joe Hisaishi’s music in the Ghibli works. Then during this phase of mine, I learnt of a newly launched orchestra in Sydney that was going to play Joe Hisaishi music at their first ever concert! haha Of course I went to get tickets and have been going to almost every performance since. Their performances introduced me to music from other animations and works. I think that’s how it all started!! Those in Australia should really check them out! Their name is Eminence. They’re great! I heard they have been so successful that they have had shows overseas – like in Japan and the US.
To fans of the Ghibli works, this name should be all too familiar! I am a follower of Hayao Miyazaki productions, in particular: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky. There are many others but these three are just outstanding!! Not only is the animation creative and vivid, but the background ensemble of music just really adds the final touches. Actually, it takes the entire experience to an all new level!
Joe Hisaishi is the magical creator of the music!! I recently discovered that he is soon to hold a 25th anniversary performance of music from Ghibli studio works as well as a show with New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra!!! If ONLY I had KNOWN EARLIER!!! I would DEFINITELY plan a week long trip to see BOTH!!
Please! If you are in Japan or can take the time off, you HAVE to see it!! I would so go if only I didn’t already have a holiday trip the week before!! I was tempted and even checked for availability of tickets – there are still some available!! Oh well…I will have to wait for 2009 performance…. =(
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